A/N: Well, My first Criminal Minds fic. I've been a fan of Hotch/Reid for quite a while. So I decided to try and write something for it. :D This little one-shot takes place Post-Mayhem; Pre-Angel Maker.
Warnings: Guylove. But nothing graphic.
Disclaimer: These Characters are not my own. If Doctor Reid was mine, Booy, would I be one happy person. I don't own Criminal Minds. : If I did, I'd get rid of Seaver and bring back Prentiss. uuugu. I'm just a crazy fan. Ahah.
Aaron Hotchner was known for being stubborn; everyone he even became relatively close to was aware of that fact. He didn't enjoy giving up. In his eyes, failure was not an option, neither was showing weakness. In his home growing up, his parents were sure to instill the lesson that public expressions of pain were completely unacceptable; if he even so much as wanted to pout, he should do it in his own room with the door shut.
Mourning the loss of his companion, Kate, was difficult for him. Especially when he was unable to separate himself from everyone; shared living quarters with Reid saw to it that there was little to no chance of him being alone at all. That night, he quietly waited for the breathing of his partner to even out before allowing himself so much as a discontented sigh.
The young genius, however, had become an expert fake-sleeper; at night was the best time to discern if something was bothering Aaron. He was sure to give him plenty of space on the bed, knowing that the older agent was still sore from the explosion. But how badly did Spencer want to curl his arms around his superior, just to show him that he was there and that everything would be alright.
When Reid first got news of the I.E.D. explosion, fear and disdain ripped and pulled at his insides, which he quickly deducted were natural reactions of fear and anxiety a human would get when someone they love could be in danger. (Logically, he knew had little reason to worry. But something in him just felt.. WRONG. About the whole situation, really..) He felt for his lover when he caught news of Kate's possibly-fatal injuries; the two of them had become fast-friends. But a part of him as secretly glad that it wasn't Hotchner that was so injured.
"Go to sleep.." Hotch's voice startled Spencer. He turned over to face his lover.
"You first.. Aaron. It isn't your fault, I know that guilt is the first response when losing someone you care about, but this-"
"I should have figured it out sooner, Spencer.."
"That's just it, though. You couldn't have; none of us did." Spencer knew that it was pointless trying to force out a necessary part of Aaron's grieving process. He just couldn't stand the thought of his lover hurting like that..
Silence was all that transpired between the couple after that. And soon, both men found sleep pulling their eyes closed; their minds away..
A/N: Well. It's short, but I didn't want to kill it. I have a tendency to do that with stories. Over-writing. This is a one-shot, but I've written a second chapter that could be added to this if you guys would like it. Reviews fuel my life. 3 Sorry if this sucked. Criticism is very welcome~!